The Grey Forest
by I'm-A-Writer-Of-Fiction
Summary: The Greybacks found a little boy abandoned in the woods by his relatives. They take him in, give him a name, and raise him. What happens when he emerges from the Grey Forest, goes to Hogwarts, and falls in love, twice? Follow his journey from cradle to adulthood and all the adventures in between. Callum must be careful, danger lurks in unsuspected places and from unexpected people.
1. Chapter 1 - Harry and Callum

**_A/N: Yes, I have taken down the previous version, it was for it's own good. This has been edited heavily and the existing nine parts have been combined into three much longer chapters for your viewing experience. I will be updating slowly to allow myself time to write, more than likely, I will update every other week. If I don't update exactly on the right date, don't get upset, just PM me and tell me nicely, I should have the next chapter already written._**

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><p><em>Chapter One<em>

The Grey Forest was a dark and holy place, especially for the supernatural creatures of England. It was located not far away from a small town known as Little Whinging, Surrey. The Grey Forest in particular was home to a little-known vampire coven and well-known werewolf pack.

The werewolf pack was led by Fenrir Greyback who, contrary to popular belief, did not have the Dark Mark and had not followed Lord Voldemort at any point in time. His pack contained numerous men, women, and children—most were werewolves, but some were human family members who supported their relative(s). Most of the families had been turned during the first war by a rampant werewolf in Lord Voldemort's ranks.

They loved Greyback profusely as he had taken them in and clothed and fed them. They were forever grateful to him for providing in their time of weakness, therefore Greyback had their unwavering loyalty. Greyback was bonded to his wife, Leanne, who had born him eight sons and daughters. Each, but one, were still in the pack and each, but the missing one, planned to stay there.

Greyback still worried about if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would come back, but he would stow away the thought and focus on his family and pack—the two most important things in his life at the moment.

The vampires were similar to Greyback in that regard. They too were wrongly accused of siding with the 'idiot mortal boy' that was Tom Marvolo Riddle. They were less well known than the werewolves, mostly because they were never in the thick of it, only watching the unfolding events. They had only been observers since the beginning of their existence thousands of years ago. They would never side with a mortal being who thought himself better than vampires.

Or any mortal really.

The leader of the vampires, Braiden Slate, was a good man (if you could still call him that). He had a wife and numerous amounts of children, all vampires. They had all been born-vampires, unlike himself. He had been infected when he was fifteen but when he was infected, he had aged forward to twenty-one. Braiden was frozen biologically at the age of twenty-one and so was every other turned-vampire out there. Born-vampires were a different story. They followed the same life-procession as a mortal child would but when they reached their seventeenth birthday, they froze—biologically.

Female vampires could still conceive and males could still produce sperm; it was a never ending cycle of children for Braiden and his wife, Kendra. They themselves had even lost count considering they had been vampires for over three thousand years. He was by far the oldest in the coven, his wife a close second at two thousand. He had founded the coven and many flocked to become one of them.

Unlike the werewolf pack, the vampires did not accept fledglings into their coven. They believed that fledglings would find their way in the world and join them as mature beings, fit of an advanced magic-practicing coven. Never would they allow a mortal and they were mostly on good terms with the werewolves only because both were supernatural creatures who were constantly wronged by the Ministry of Magic.

All would change when they collectively would meet a little boy whose name was Harry James Potter.

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><p><em>Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.* <em>But, when they woke up before dawn on November 1st, 1981, they knew something strange _and_ mysterious was going on.

Petunia Dursley woke up at her regular time (just before dawn) and made her way to Dudley's room. She went through her morning routine as usual and when Vernon Dursley came downstairs, she went to the front door to unlock it and get to the milk. When she opened the door, she screamed.

There, on her doorstep, was her little freak of a sister's child in a yellow blanket with a letter addressed to her. She quickly read it and upon seeing the contents, screamed for her husband.

"Vernon! My freak sister and her freak of a husband got themselves killed! Some freak called Dumbledore left their freak of a son on our doorstep! Come get rid of it!" Petunia shouted at her husband, frantically picking up the child and bringing it in the house before the neighbors could see or hear her shouts.

"Don't worry, my Petunia-flower. I will take care of the freak boy on my way to work. Just sit it on the floor by the door and let's enjoy our breakfast and handsome son," soothed Vernon, who sneered in disgust at the freak his wife had placed on the floor while hugging his Petunia-flower.

Petunia soon watched her husband get ready for a day at Grunnings, albeit a bit early because of their, or more properly to say, her, predicament. She watched as he took the bundle of blankets to the backseat of the car and drove off. She turned around and got back to her own son, who was playing on the carpet. She had other things to worry about, like the neighbor's son who went to juvenile detention last week; she just had to tell Marge about it.

Meanwhile, Vernon was driving further into Surrey, toward a forest that was rumored to be haunted.

It was perfect.

He wanted to get rid of the freak boy and all he had to do was walk into the tree line for a mile, drop the freak on the ground, and return to his car. No one would even realize the boy was gone, mostly because obviously no one had seen him except the Dursleys and this 'Bumblebore' man. The freak would probably die from exposure or get eaten by a wild animal, he could only hope.

Vernon did just that, but on his way back to his car, he was bitten by a wolf. He didn't think much of it at the time, he just went to the hospital, got it checked out (he didn't have rabies), and when they said he was fine he went to work at the drill company the next day. Petunia fussed over him when he got home and Dudley was oblivious as he always was.

But ten days later, on the full moon, he turned into a werewolf, much to his wife's surprise. In turn, he murdered his wife, but not his son. The wolf infected his son. His wolf wanted a worthy companion and that horse-woman Petunia wasn't a good enough fit. The two-year old transformed into a blond, blue-eyed wolf much like his father although slightly less obese.

He picked up the pup by the scruff and ran to the nearest woods, the Grey Forest.

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><p>Fenrir stirred from his sleep. He smelled something funny. It was a damp, soggy smell. The sort of smell like when his pups were still running around in nappies. He also smelled the foreign scent of a person, a fat one at that judging by the scent.<p>

He rolled out of bed and threw some trousers on and grabbed his wand; he was on the hunt for an intruder. The human smell scented faintly of two pups, cheap perfume, gasoline, very greasy hash browns and eggs that lingered on them. He did not seem to be that far away from the pack's tents and Fenrir wondered why the guards' scents weren't moving toward the human male and the pup scent. He shifted to his russet-brown colored wolf and sprinted towards them.

He stopped a mile from the tree line and saw the monster of a man.

Dropping a child off in the middle of nowhere! How could he? Some people would love to have a child and this one was so obviously a burden to this man.

In retaliation, he bit the man. An alpha's saliva carried the Lycanthropy disease, full moon or not. This man would come to him soon with his tail between his legs on the next full moon. Then he would pay for what he did to the small child in the yellow blankets.

Greyback shifted back to his human form, fat man forgotten. What was on his mind now was the little messy-haired boy. He picked up the child and walked back to the camp while comforting the boy.

The child had no identification on him and Greyback could smell another wolf on him. Fenrir reached the edge of the camp. The guards were sleeping with seemingly no care in the world.

"What do you two think you are doing? We had an intruder and you did not even notice! You are both suspended from duty as soon as shifts change," said Fenrir as he walked past them, fuming on the inside but holding it in for the sake of the boy. The guards both started shouting in indignation as Fenrir passed by, saying nothing else. The child stirred in his arms, obviously done with his nap.

When the boy's eyes opened, Greyback was in awe. His eyes were the color of emeralds and it was like heaven was gazing upon him but there was a worrying scar on his forehead. It looked like it was starting to fade.

He opened his tent flap and walked in. His wife, Leanne was in the sectioned off bedroom, but came out as soon as she had scented the boy.

"Why is there a small child in our tent?" Leanne teased as she walked to Fenrir. "I thought all of our pups were grown."

"This is our new pup. He has not a name; I wanted you to have the honor. A man dropped him off in the woods," said Fenrir as he passed the child to Leanne.

"Oh, my goodness. He is adorable. I don't know, what do you think of Callum Nathaniel Greyback for our new pup? To honor our—you know," she said with tears in her eyes.

"I believe that it is perfect. Callum Nathaniel Greyback, it is just perfect. We will announce him within the hour," said he as he hugged his wife from behind, setting his head on her shoulder and gazing upon their new son. One of their last little boys was taken right after his pack initiation ceremony forcibly by wizards. They had no idea where he was or where he was taken to. They only hoped he would somehow find his way home. They hoped to do better with their new son, to keep him safe and sound.

He broke away to notify the next guards of the switch and situation. Leanne watched him leave and cuddled Callum. She shifted him to her hip and pulled her wand out of her pocket as she was not wearing her wand holster. She transfigured a blanket into a birch wood crib with forest bedding. She repeated the process with a nearby throw pillow into a baby sling to carry him around in. She ran a finger over the lightening-shaped cut on his forehead and infused some love into her magic. The scar slowly lightened before her very eyes and Callum smiled. His first smile she had seen, his little smile had some teeth but was still a bit gummy.

Callum watched with quiet eyes, he looked like he had seen so much. She hugged him to her chest and put on the sling. She walked around the tent and baby-proofed it all the while talking to her youngest son. Leanne added a nursery section to the tent and put the crib in there, along with the other baby and toddler necessities she had used with her previous children.

He was the youngest of now nine children, five older brothers and three older sisters. She told him their names and ages. His brothers; Erik (28), Silvan (27), Neri (25), The Missing One who had been named Nathaniel (21), and Finn (17). His sisters: Aeterna (25), Sage (20), and Joy (18).

She told Callum stories about his family and his siblings. He seemed to be paying attention to his mother's words and tales. Leanne told him about his few older siblings' mates and the oldest few and their respective children. She dressed him in clothing from long ago, trying to get the smell of the other wolf off. She was his son and he did not belong to this _other_ wolf although he smelled familiar.

She walked out of the tent as she was done cleaning and baby-proofing the tent and sat at the campfire a few meters away from their large tent. The entire pack was gathered and Fenrir had their attention, he was introducing their newest son. Callum looked almost like a carbon-copy of Leanne, even without blood adoption, straight from his hair to his tiny toes—except for his haunting emerald eyes.

When she had birthed all of their children—as Lycanthropy was not a genetic disease—Fenrir had to infect them for them to become official to the pack. They had waited until the pups were at least a few months old though, they had just finished the ceremony before Nathaniel was kidnapped. Callum looked to be at least one or two; he was plenty old enough to become pack.

Leanne approached Fenrir as he was finishing the introduction and pulled up Callum's little pant leg. Fenrir shifted to his russet wolf and gently nipped the toddler's leg on the calf and turned back. Callum watched all of this silent, only whimpering when his new father bit him. Leanne knew he was a quiet child, but he must have had a high threshold for pain. He would not shift outside of his first full moon, but when he reached the age of five or six, he would be able to shift outside of Luna's peak, the bite also acted as a magical and blood adoption which would give him some characteristics of his new parents.

Fenrir took Callum into his arms to comfort him and dismissed the pack to do their previous activities. He shifted Callum to his hip and slid his hand into Leanne's as they walked back to their tent where their eight other children were waiting.

"Well love, it is time to face the music," said Leanne.

"That it is."

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><p>Words were being flung around the tent belonging to the elder Greyback couple.<p>

"Why wouldn't mother and father notify us?"

"You think they would notify us before they announced it in front of the pack!"

But all the chatter ceased when Fenrir entered his tent with Leanne and Callum. He observed that all of his children except Aeterna and her twin, Neri, were present. He walked to the settee and sat, cradling Callum in his arms while Leanne sat next to him.

"I do not know what all of you must be feeling right now, but be happy, for you have acquired a new brother. I apologize if you feel left out or angry," Fenrir spoke quietly but his children did not strain to hear him. It was his commanding voice, the one he used when giving orders as alpha. "You will be welcoming of Callum whether you come to like him or not. He was found this morning by myself when a man was trying to abandon him in the woods. You will accept him."

This was followed by a chorus of agreement from his children.

"I believe you all have things to do considering Neri and Aeterna are off on guard duty. You may leave," he said, handing Callum to Leanne and heading to his sectioned-off office in their tent.

Fenrir knew that accepting Callum would be tough on his children because they were already grown and it felt like they were being replaced. They would get over it. If not, well he was alpha, they knew what would happen.

Callum woke up in his yellow blankets in the middle of the night feeling safe for the first time in a while. He did not feel safe when the mustached man had thrown him in the backseat of a strange vehicle (it did not feel like a broom) and he did not feel safe when he was dropped on the forest floor. But he felt safer when the smell of a wolf-man surrounded him, just like the Potters' wolf-man, except this wolf-man smelled like a father. His father.

He let out a small cry to let his mother know he was awake and hungry. He heard his parents murmuring in the next section of the tent and his mother soon lifted him from his crib. She sat in the wooden rocking chair and fed him a bottle of milk while she rubbed his back.

He liked his mother too. She smelled like a wolf as well and it comforted him when she was in his presence. He could tell that another wolf had been in his nursery not so long ago, but it smelled familiar, like a sibling of his new wolf-family.

Once he had emptied the bottle, his mother swaddled him in the yellow blankets and set him gently in the crib. Callum's thoughts drifted off as he travelled to dreamland.

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><p>A week and a half after the announcement of Callum, Vernon Dursley showed up as a blond-haired, blue-eyed, obese wolf with a clone of himself by the scruff. Greyback had warned the pack that he had bitten the man who abandoned Callum. There was a confrontation where Fenrir asserted himself as a higher rank and Vernon as someone beneath him. Fenrir also took the pup as he felt that the omega did not deserve his own if he had abandoned one before. He gave the pup to his oldest daughter, Aeterna, who named him Kayden Liam and immediately set him on a diet. The omega was exiled to be a lone wolf.<p>

All was well. At least for now.

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><p><em><strong>Tell me if you love it or not, just please don't flame it. Deal? Deal. Hopefully, you loved it. Tell me your thoughts. We just lost one of my classmates to bone cancer so it's been an emotional time in our town. It's the fourth high school student to pass away within three months of each other. Anyways, I better go write.<strong>_

_**J. Waylett**_


	2. Chapter 2 - Familiars and Hogwarts

**_Please enjoy this chapter, it's quite different from the original version, it is very heavily edited._**

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><p><em>Chapter Two<em>

A few years had passed by and Callum had grown to be a very intelligent young man whom everybody in the pack loved. The only exception was his nephew, Kayden, who just did not seem to like him, it seemed to be instinctual. Callum put up with him during family functions but when they weren't in that situation, he made sure Kayden knew who was in charge.

For a ten year old, his sentence structure was advanced as he had been trained by his father in the art of manipulating people when needed, which included the ability to speak clearly and knowledgeably. Kayden on the other hand was the dumbest, not just ten year old, but person, Callum had ever met in his life.

Kayden had been given to his sister, Aeterna, when he was a little older than Callum and had been put on an extensive diet because he was seriously obese for a small child. His biological father was unworthy of a son because he had abandoned Callum a few days earlier. Callum had heard a year or two back that Vernon Dursley (A.K.A. the omega) had been killed in an attack by wizards who hated werewolves and muggles.

He sounded like a real arsehole.

Callum was not supposed to use that language but what his mother did not know would not kill her, at least if it was in his head and not spoken.

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><p>Callum sat in his afternoon lesson in pack hierarchy, daydreaming. He had been seeing a girl and boy in his dreams lately. The girl had larger front teeth, a sweet smiling face, and bushy brown hair, and the boy had a straight smile, sharp features, and blond hair that flowed to his shoulders in soft curls.<p>

Both were his kind of beautiful.

His brothers always included him in their talks about girls and their kinds of beautiful and he had learned a lot from those conversations. He knew that his kind of pretty were these two, mahogany desks, parchments and fountain pens. The girl always had a pen in her hand, sometimes chewing on the end and various books and a piece of parchment in front of her at a mahogany desk, the boy usually sat next to her.

Callum's dreams were what he looked forward to every night and afternoon pack hierarchy class, just to see them was worth the scolding from his mother about sleeping in class. Then there was the boy with his blond hair and molten-silver eyes. The two in the dream always sat at the desk, looking over a paper as if studying or working together on a project. The boy sounded posh and the girl sounded American when they spoke about their potions or charms.

The boy captured his attention quickly, just like the girl. Callum appreciated both of the sexes and their forms, just like his sister, Joy. He had two types of attractive for himself, the girl and the boy. His mother wouldn't appreciate this, he just knew it, she wasn't very happy when Joy came to this realization either.

He would tell her. Maybe.

The sound of a bell had Callum's chin slipping out of his hand's grip and his head almost hitting the table. He quickly sat up, alert and red-faced.

The teacher waved the class out of their seats and to the door. Callum started the trek toward his family's newly-built home. It was three stories and had twelve bedrooms and almost twice as many bathrooms. Callum's bedroom was the attic bedroom, he had decorated it himself. Soon he walked through the front door and kicked off his trainers, yelled out a hello to his mother, stopped to say that his lesson went well to his father, and climbed four sets of stairs to his pride and joy.

His room was very spacious with hardwood floors and a forest mural on three of the walls. The other wall was a deep green with a silver dragon moving in a circle. His bed was a four-poster and his sheets were the same silver as the dragon. He had the dragon placed there once he had realized that it was the same silver as the boy's eyes. His father said that his room's color scheme reminded him of his days as a Slytherin at Hogwarts. Callum wanted to be just like his father. He had a desk like the one with the girl and boy in his dreams did in the desk nook by the trapdoor that led to the third floor.

He put his messenger bag on the hook by the door before doing the same with his grey zip-up hoodie. He ran and flopped down on his bed. The school year was almost finished and he knew his birthday was sometime in the summer. He would be eleven and he would get his Hogwarts booklist letter. Kayden had already gotten his Hogwarts letter earlier in the year and everyone was quite surprised. His biological parents were muggles and he had never shown signs of magic when they were growing up.

Callum however had shown magic since he was very young and was looking forward to Hogwarts like a camel did to a Wednesday. He already had gotten his father's old trunk out of storage and his mother's old quilt.

Before he knew it, it was time for the evening meal in the Greyback household. Callum heard his mother ring the cow bell in the backyard and the various branches of his family gathering in the large dining room. He raced downstairs and claimed the seat next to his favorite sister, Joy. She always let him have part of her dessert and ate the broccoli off of his plate without their parents noticing. She had also taught him to cuss like a sailor which was cool until their parents had found out.

Joy was the sibling that talked to him most often as she still lived with their parents and had not found her mate just yet. She had liked a girl named Janice that was from a neighboring pack, but it had not turned out well when she found out that Janice was just using her as a distraction from her up-and-coming arranged marriage. Joy had not been able to find someone after that horrible incident, so she hung out with Callum and he was not going to complain. She was the coolest sister ever to walk the earth.

His other two sisters were sticks in the mud and same with their respective husbands. His eldest brother was the coolest brother, but he was too busy with his own family to visit Callum. His other brothers were okay, but all they wanted to do was play drinking games and Callum was not old enough to do that and whenever they were not drinking, they had pack obligations or wives and girlfriends.

Callum's only niece or nephew that was his age was Kayden and he was not going to hang around with him because he, as Callum had already established, was as dumb as a flobberworm. The kid thought he was better than everyone else and it really bugged him. The next in age to Callum was his niece Hailey and she was just as bad as Kayden. He had no one to hang out with in his immediate family.

Callum really did not have any friends other than Joy, his parents, and his friend, Issac, so he wrote stories and read of adventures. His favorites from the muggle world were Sherlock Holmes and _Dear Mr. Henshaw._

The dinner was good. His mother had made pork chops (a bit on the raw side) and some mashed potatoes. His mother was talking with his sister, Aeterna, and his father was talking to Neri, his brother. Kayden was feeding Callum's dog, Buster, under the table and his various nieces and nephews were screaming their heads off about something or another. Callum just wanted this dinner to be over with so he could go to the forest behind his house and meet Isaac in the clearing.

Isaac Slate was a vampire and his only real friend outside of his family. He was the youngest out of a ton of children that he and his parents had lost count of. He was the last in this century though so far. He was taller than Callum by a head and had jet-black hair, blood-red eyes, and the same sense of adventure as Callum. Callum's parents and Isaac's parents did not know that they were friends and if they did they would forbid it. Isaac would be heading to Hogwarts as well this year and some of the children in Callum's pack, along with Callum, would as well.

Soon the dinner was over and Callum left as sneakily as he could before booking it to the clearing. Isaac was waiting in the center, lying in a bed of daisies, and looking up at the sky. He jumped up and the two boys did an extensive, complicated handshake that involved pretty much every part of their bodies.

"Callum, you will never believe what my father told me. He said that my mother and he were expecting another child! I am going to be a big brother! I am so excited to have a younger sibling to pick on, it is going to be great," exclaimed Isaac, all the while jumping around like a hare.

"That is really cool, Isaac," said Callum. "You ready to go?"

"Of course, mate. Let's go!"

Callum shifted into his wolf. In every way he was a clone of his father, even as a wolf. His fur was the same russet-brown and his build was similar. The only feature that made him different from his father was his electric green eyes; his father had polar-ice blue. Isaac climbed onto the back of his furry friend and they went for their usual run. Every other time they met in the clearing, it was a run on Callum and the times in between in was a piggyback ride on Isaac's back with his super vampire speed (cliché, I know).

After an hour of running, Callum was getting tired. He shifted back and the two boys said goodbye in the way that they had greeted the other. Callum walked slowly back to the house and slipped in the back door as it was dark out now and his parents had not known he was in the clearing. He snuck past his father's office and was almost in the clear when his father called out his name from behind the closed double doors.

"Callum, I know you are out there. Come in, I need to talk to you," he heard his father call in a soft voice.

Callum opened the doors and sat in the chair in front of Fenrir's desk. "Yes, dad? What do you need?"

"Why did you disappear after dinner?"

"Oh, um, I went to…visit a friend?" Callum fibbed, hoping his father could not tell.

"And who is this friend?" His father inquired.

"Isaac. He is a friend I met while we were in town at the store the other day. We met up in the clearing in the woods," said Callum hoping not to caught in his half-truth.

"Okay, but next time I want you home before dark. You worried me, son. I do not want to lose you."

Callum knew he was guilting him into agreeing. He stood up and said, "Alright, dad. I will be home before dark next time. I am going to head to bed now. Will you read me a chapter of Sherlock Holmes?"

"I will be there in a moment, son. I just need to finish this paperwork and I will tuck you in. I am sorry, but I cannot read to you tonight. There is an important pack meeting in an hour."

"Okay, I am just going to go change and I will be in bed. See you in a bit," said Callum.

Callum ran up to his room and changed into his snitch pajama pants and a grey t-shirt. He got into bed and snuggled down into his covers. His father came and tucked him into bed and Callum soon fell asleep.

As soon as he closed his eyes, the girl and boy were there. And a strange scent lingered in his room, a scent he had not smelled since he was quite small. But his mind focused on the girl, the boy, and the books splayed out on the mahogany desk, his dreams were full of the brown-haired girl, the grey-eyed boy, and Sherlock solving just who they were.

It had been a good day and the dream made it even better, for the older version of the girl, probably her mother, came in a door and had called her Hermione, but nothing on the boy so far.

He hoped he met them soon.

* * *

><p>"Callum, it is time to wake up, love. Today is your last day of lessons before Hogwarts! I made chocolate chip pancakes just how you like them and they are fresh. You better get down there before your father and Joy eat them all," said Leanne while shaking the boy in question who sat up quickly at the mention of his favorite breakfast.<p>

"I will be down in a moment, mum. I just need to change," said Callum as he rolled out of bed. His mother left the room and he changed into his usual outfit of jeans and a grey t-shirt. He booked it downstairs just in time to see his mum making him a plate of pancakes with bacon and scrambled eggs.

"Mum, you are the best in the entire world!" Callum exclaimed, sitting in his customary seat next to his sister. Joy ruffled his messy black hair and stole a piece of bacon from his plate.

"Whoa, Joy! That was mine! Seriously?"

"Yeah, lil bro. I need to torture you while I still can before you head off to Hogwarts and forget about me," Joy said in a teasing tone.

"I will not forget about you, I promise." He hugged his sister while sneakily stealing an entire pancake from her plate and licking it before she noticed.

"Callum, you are officially the most disgusting brother ever and that is saying a lot considering Finn is the nastiest being on the planet, his wife even says so."

"Well, I can only do so much," he said with a giant smirk on his face. Joy was about to smack the side of his head but their father interjected.

"You two need to get over yourselves," he said jokingly. "Callum, are you excited for today? Last day of school before Hogwarts, it is a big step."

Callum nodded and shoveled his food into his mouth, not seeing the disapproving glare from his mother.

"Irm rwearry exshiited, ya know?" Callum said with his mouth full of pancake.

"Callum Nathaniel! You will not speak at the table with your mouth full of food! You have proper manners, use them!" Callum could tell she was furious by the fact that she was flicking her hair behind her ear and that she had narrowed her eyes at him.

He quickly swallowed his syrup-covered pancake and apologized for his appalling behavior and realized that after school today they were going to Diagon Alley.

With Kayden.

Oh, Merlin.

"So, we are still going to Diagon Alley today, right?" His parents nodded. "Great, one question. Does Kayden _have_ to go?" Callum asked with his eyes open wide in a false show of innocence. His parents knew he hated Kayden and he was extremely disappointed when they shook their heads and Joy laughed beside him before poking him in the side.

"Callum, I am sorry but there is no way you are getting out of the trip with Kayden. You will be attending school together and you must be at _least_ civil around each other without adult supervision," said Fenrir.

"But Kayden thinks that he is the most important person in the world and it is the most annoying thing on the planet!" Callum defended himself, knowing that the argument was hopeless.

"The matter is done. Eat your breakfast."

The breakfast proceeded as usual with the siblings giving the other the food they do not like without their parents noticing. Joy left to rotate into guard duty, Leanne had a book club meeting, Fenrir retreated to his office where he was focusing on contracts and Callum journeyed off to his last day of boring, old, pre-Hogwarts schooling.

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><p>Callum thought that Kayden was annoying before and then he realized that they had never been shopping together. In the apothecary, Kayden whined and pouted because Aeterna would not allow him to get a prank potions kit. In Madam Malkins, he wanted a new pair of trousers that were an obscene color of orange. No to that one as well, at least Aeterna was getting something right raising the terror.<p>

They were in the menagerie looking for familiars at the moment. All the cats hated the boys on account of them smelling like wet dogs (even though they _had_ showered) and the owls did not seem to like them either. The only familiars who did not seem to hate Kayden were the rats, so he got a mousy brown colored one who did tricks. Callum was having a harder time finding a companion. He strolled over to the snake habitat.

_I wish I could find a familiar who likes me,_ he whispered under his breath.

_Fear not, hatchling. I like you for a human-child. Especially because you are a Speaker, _he heard a voice coming from a tank that contained a Long-Nosed Vine Snake. He read on the label that it had magical properties that allowed for its bite to become lethal, unlike the Muggle version of the snake.

_What do you mean I am a speaker?_ said Callum, his natural curiosity shining through over his slight disturbance of talking to a snake.

_You speak my language. It is called Parseltongue and it is a powerful gift,_ said the snake with a bit of mischief in his yellow eyes. _My name is Balthazar; I would like to become your familiar._

_Of course, Balthazar. Climb on, _he said as he held out his arm. The storekeeper gasped when she saw the boy put his arm in the tank. She was about to head over to stop him when she heard him hiss at it and the two seemed to have a conversation and she gave a small yelp. Well, that would get rid of one pain-in-the-arse animal, she really hated her job.

_Do you promise not to bite anyone without permission?_

_Of course, hatchling, _Balthazar said.

Callum walked over to his mother and introduced her to Balthazar.

"Mum, this is my new familiar, Balthazar. He is a Long-Nosed Vine snake. He has promised not to bite anyone. Can I _please_ take him to school?" Callum said, very straight forward-like.

"I believe if I can owl the headmaster and get permission for Balthazar to come with you, we should be fine. We need to get home now though, your father is probably squirming to see what you have gotten for school," said Leanne.

The pair said goodbye to Aeterna and Kayden and walked out of Diagon Alley and The Leaky Cauldron. Leanne offered her arm and Callum took it, he hated apparation, but proceeded to squeeze his eyes closed tight and hold his breath.

* * *

><p><em>Dear Headmaster Dumbledore,<em>

_My son, Callum, would like to bring his snake familiar to school. Balthazar is a Wizarding Long-Nosed Vine snake and, according to Callum, has promised not to bite anyone. I would appreciate it if he were allowed to bring Balthazar for they both have taken a great liking to each other. _

_Please consider this issue and owl your answer._

_Sincerely,_

_Leanne Greyback_

* * *

><p>Ever since his pack schooling days were over at the end of June, Callum had been eagerly waiting for September 1st to roll around. When the morning of the first finally rolled around, Callum was up before the sun. He made breakfast—partially—with Joy and his mum (he made the omelets). Leanne checked that he had everything packed and Fenrir shed a tear that his final child was finally going off to Hogwarts. He could not come to King's Cross Station because, even if he <em>was<em> innocent, the Ministry would arrest him.

Callum grabbed his trunk and his mum's arm with Joy and they apparated. Platform 9 ¾ was really crowded.

_Hatchling, it is crowded here. I will bite if one comes too near us unless it is your nest mate and egg-layer,_ Balthazar warned.

_Balthazar, there is no need to bite, there is no threat to me or my family here. I am going to school and mum got permission from Headmaster Dumbledore to bring you as long as you do not bite, so please do not,_ Callum said.

_Alright, hatchling. As long as you remain safe._

_Thank you, Balthazar. Now I have to catch up to Joy and mum. I am almost to Hogwarts!_

* * *

><p>Callum caught up to his mum and Joy. Balthazar slid up his arm to wrap around his neck underneath his robes as Callum ran as to not fall off of his body. Leanne and Joy both had tears running down their cheeks and Callum bear-hugged them both.<p>

"Do not worry, mum. I will owl you every week or so. I love you both and tell dad I love him!" Callum said as he let go and grabbed his father's old trunk.

"I am coming home for the Yule holiday, don't worry!" Callum shouted as he boarded the train.

He walked down the aisle of the train trying to find Isaac and he finally found him in the second to last compartment.

"Oi, mate! How have you been?" Isaac asked Callum as they both did the customary greeting of the secret handshake.

"Never better, my friend, never better. So, what House do you want to be in? I really want to be a Slytherin like my dad," Callum said eagerly. Balthazar poked his head out of Callum's robes and slithered out a bit.

"I don't know, I think Slytherin would be cool, but I kind of want to be a Ravenclaw. They sound pretty brilliant," Isaac said, gesturing wildly about nothing as they both collapsed into the compartment's seats. Isaac reached over and petted Balthazar on top of his head.

"I just can't wait to be a proper Hogwarts student, you know? You really aren't a proper student until you are Sorted; it's like a rite of passage. At least, that's what Joy says, but she _is_ kind of crazy so I'm not going to take her word for it," said Callum on a bit of a tangent.

"From what I have heard of your sister, she sounds like a blast. I would love to have a cool sibling that I know well but I don't even know most of them," said Isaac as he fiddled with the strings of his sweatshirt. Eventually the lady with the trolley came by and Isaac bought some Blood Pops and Callum bought a ton of Chocolate Frogs.

Two hours later left the boys changed into their Hogwarts robes with the black, house-neutral trim and boarding the boats to take them across the Black Lake. They and their fellow first years, ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the biggest castle most of them had ever seen. They ducked their heads when the gamekeeper asked them to and walked into the Entrance Hall.

They met Professor McGonagall and she spoke about the Houses being equal in their own rights and that they were your family for the next seven years. They walked into the Great Hall and saw a curious looking hat sitting on a stool. Then it started to _sing_.

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty, _

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and talk,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_This patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid if toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"*_

Callum turned and looked at Isaac with an awe-struck look on his face; Isaac had the same expression. They had a non-verbal conversation that went like this; _Did you see what I just saw? _and, _Holy bejeezus, I totally saw what you just saw. Magic._

In short, the two were a bit amazed.

"Abbott, Hannah!" _"HUFFLEPUFF!"_

"Bones, Susan!" _"HUFFLEPUFF!"_

"Boot, Terry!" _"RAVENCLAW!"_

"Brocklehurst, Mandy!" _"RAVENCLAW!"_

And on and on the list went until they got to—

"Greyback, Callum!"

Whisper went around the Great Hall as most of the older students recognized the last name, either for the infamous Fenrir Greyback or they knew one or all of his many siblings, nieces, or nephews.

_Ahh, it is nice to meet the last Greyback child. I assume you stride to be like your father, no? This is an easy choice, "SLYTHERIN!" _The Hat yelled out to the hall. Callum handed the Hat back to Professor McGonagall and say next to the only first-year Slytherin other than himself and Crabbe so far, Millicent Bulstrode.

He held out his hand for her to shake.

"Hello, my name is Greyback, Callum Greyback," he said in the traditional Pureblood greeting way of saying the last name, full name.

She took his hand. "Hello, my name is Bulstrode, Millicent Bulstrode."

Callum turned away to see _the__ girl_ get sorted.

"Granger, Hermione!" "_SLYTHERIN!_"

That got a lot more people talking than his Sorting did. She was either a Half-blood or a Muggle-born, most likely the latter or maybe even a foreign Pureblood. She sat down next to him, but he couldn't react. He was pretty sure he had drool running out of the side of his mouth.

He finally held out his hand. "H-h-hello, m-my name is Greyback, C-Callum Greyback."

Surprisingly, she took his hand and replied using the same vernacular. "My name is Granger, Hermione Granger."

And then she kissed his cheek.

She explained that both her parents were American (They moved here when she was very young) and that she was a product of several generations of fine Pureblood breeding, he understood. She did not have an English Pureblood surname because her ancestors were American Purebloods. Callum brushed off the kiss on the cheek as a weird American greeting-thing, I mean, she is _American._ (A/N: It is weird to see yourself as _American_ when writing stories set in different countries. It's like it's a bad thing or something.)

_What?! _He hissed out and Balthazar made his first appearance. Not noticing the stares from the older Slytherins, Callum started a conversation with his familiar.

_Hatchling, I think she likes you, _Balthazar said, albeit a little sarcastically.

_No shit, Sherlock,_ Callum said. He looked up into the faces of many older students clamoring to greet him. He turned back to Balthazar and asked what was happening.

_They recognize your talent, hatchling. This _is _the house of serpents, _he said.

Callum greeted them one by one as the Sorting continued, although he did realize none of these people wanted his friendship, they wanted his power. A recently sorted Draco Malfoy sat next to Hermione and shook her hand asking of her blood status. Callum whipped his head around to look at Draco. Draco Malfoy was _the boy._ When she replied that she was a Pureblood, he looked more than surprised because of her surname. He started hyperventilating a little bit before Draco introduced himself and Callum tried putting on the Slytherin mask for the first time.

His cousin's Sorting was apparently happening so Callum paid his dues—attention, he meant attention.

"Pense, Kayden!" _"GRYFFINDOR!" _

Callum turned back to his newly-found friends as he groaned. "That was my cousin. This is going to be horrible. We better win every Quidditch match and get _wayyyy_ more House points because I am not losing against him. He is the stupidest person I've ever met and if we can't get more House points than him, I will be severely disappointed in our House," he said firmly. Draco and Hermione looked at each other incredulously, but didn't comment.

"Slate, Isaac!" _"RAVENCLAW!"_

Callum cheered like a hooligan for Isaac and the entire Slytherin table looked at him funny. Isaac waved to him as he walked past.

"What? That is one of my best friends!" he defended.

After Blaise Zabini was finally Sorted into Slytherin, Headmaster Dumbledore said a few strange words and the Welcoming Feast was served. Callum and his friends ate heartily and were completely stuffed by the time they were dismissed. They started a trek into the dungeons of the castle and stopped in front of a blank wall.

The female prefect announced that the password was 'Blood Purity' and then they shuffled into the Common Room.

Callum stood amazed at what was presently in front of him. His electric green eyes widened as he saw the Slytherin Common Room.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Thanks for reading the second chapter to The Grey Forest. I hope you have enjoyed, if you did, please tell me. If not (and don't flame), tell me what you would like to see different and I just might indulge you. It has been a pain in the butt trying to write with a screwed-up wrist, swim practice, and schoolwork coming out the wazoo. Once again, leave your thoughts on this chapter, whether by PM or review.**_

_**Thanks,**_

_**J. Waylett**_


	3. Chapter 3 - Slytherin and Proud

_**A/N: I'm sorry, but I might be slow on updates because of school. Also, I have done something to my wrist wrestling, so it's a bit more difficult to type. I've been taping it to swim but it doesn't seem to be enough to keep it from being quite painful. Chapter Four is almost finished and Chapter Five is in the works. Enjoy this chapter! (Sorry it's a bit shorter, I've been trying to make them longer.)**_

* * *

><p><em>Chapter Three<em>

A very distressed Albus Dumbledore and a very concerned Minerva McGonagall sat in the Headmaster's office having a conversation about a non-existent first year, one that should be present.

They were missing a student.

He had never replied to the school's owl with his acceptance to Hogwarts. Matter of fact, the owl came back with the letter and no address written on the envelope. That was the first time that had happened in living memory and Dumbledore had lived quite a long time.

Professor McGonagall was concerned for the boy's safety. She knew somehow deep inside that he was fine and well taken care of but she wanted to know where he was—how he was. She wanted to see her godson.

Dumbledore was distressed for quite the opposite reason. He needed the Potter boy to be a pawn for the Light, not MIA for his magical schooling.

Maybe tomorrow he would go visit the Dursleys, they would know where he is. Right?

Both Professors had a few glasses of Firewhiskey before they departed to their respective quarters.

Both fell asleep with a single thought burning a hole through their consciences.

Where was Harry Potter?

* * *

><p>Callum lay in the four-poster bed so much like his one back home. He pulled his mother's quilt up to his chin as he thought about what to say in his owl home tomorrow. Maybe something like this, he thought:<p>

_Dear Mum, Dad, and Joy,_

_Mum, why did you not tell me that you were on a poster in the Slytherin Common Room?! You were a Seeker on the Quidditch team? You definitely left that out..._

_And Dad! You were a prefect and Head Boy! You only told me that you were in Slytherin. I do not know what to say to you both. The only one who told me tons was Joy but she left those out, too._

_I have made a few new friends. Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, both are Purebloods and Hermione's from America! Can you believe it? They are both very nice and I feel like I have known them my whole life._

_Joy, I can't wait to come home for the Yule holiday! I already miss you guys._

_Love,_

_Callum N. Greyback_

After composing the letter in his head and rushing to write it down, he reminisced about entering the Common Room. It was like no other room he had seen before.

There were three fireplaces, each with chairs for visiting, an entire wall covered in bookshelves, and a very large view of the Black Lake from under the water. There was study tables spread out around the room as well.

_It was so cool._

He could not wait to read all the books in the Common Room and to spend more time with Hermione and Draco around one of the fireplaces in the future. He did not know why he felt so drawn to them, only that he saw them in his dreams and they felt important to him.

And with that thought, Callum drifted into Morpheus' land.

* * *

><p>Hermione Granger was very excited to be at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her parents had originally wanted her to go to the Salem Institute, but she felt a distinct pull towards the Hogwarts castle. Of course, if she hadn't come here, she would not have met the boys<em>.<em>

_Callum Greyback. _Even his name was awe-inspiring. Hermione had first started seeing him in her dreams when she was about ten and the pull to the castle might not have even been to the castle. It was an earth-shaking pull to Callum.

She couldn't believe she had kissed his cheek! What had she been thinking? She definitely hadn't been, that's for sure. It was a weird impulse.

His striking green eyes, messy black-brown hair, and tall stature made him beautiful. But in her dreams, what always made him better was his camaraderie with his friends, Balthazar and Draco. She knew he was a werewolf, but it didn't bother her because Callum seemed to have complete control of his wolf. He never shifted if he didn't want to, even under a full moon.

Then there was Draco Malfoy.

Draco first appeared in her dreams a month before Callum, maybe he was older than Callum, but she was drawn to both boys like a niffler to gold. His shoulder-length blond hair made her want to run her hands through it, she could stare into his eyes for an eternity, and he was a Pureblood on top of it all.

They would receive their schedules tomorrow morning from their Head of House, Professor Snape, at breakfast meal. Professor Snape seemed like a serious man but he had a soft spot for his House. He had come to the Common Room earlier and spoke to them.

_"I expect all of you to live up to the standards of Slytherin house and to support your Housemates, for they are the only people in this school that will matter to you in the next seven years of your life," said the professor. "If you need anything to help adjust to the school, I have open office hours after all of my classes are finished and they end before dinner. You may come see me about any difficulties but make them worth my time _(read, _not petty_)_ or you will end up in a detention with the caretaker, Filch."_

Hermione was excited to say the least. She couldn't seem to sleep. She could hear Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode snoring loudly, Daphne Greengrass was sniffling in her sleep, and Tracy Davies was up in the Hospital Wing. Hermione rolled around for a bit trying to get comfortable and finally stopped, snuggled into the blankets and closed her eyes.

The first thing she saw was Callum and Draco.

* * *

><p>The next morning in the Great hall saw that all the first years were still exhausted and ready to go back to bed, but most were excited to start classes. The only four who weren't excited were Ronald Weasley, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Kayden Pense—and that wasn't saying much.<p>

Hermione had met up with Callum and Draco that morning in the Common Room to walk up to breakfast together and they sat down on the bench with Hermione in the middle, Draco on the left, and Callum on her right.

Balthazar had not taken kindly to Callum's new schedule since he had only been with him for summer days; he had never had to wake up early and was in a grumpy mood.

_Hatchling, must we get up this early? I could sleep much longer and you are a sufficient source of heat as dead weight, _said Balthazar.

_Balthazar, if you wish, you may sleep through breakfast and lessons. I am sorry you had to wake up before the sun, but we are at school, _said Callum.

_Fine, _Balthazar said.

Hermione and Draco gawked at him even though they knew he had a pet snake and saw him hissing to it. It was definitely a shocker.

"Callum, you know that Parseltongue is the sign of a Dark wizard?" Hermione asked.

"Light extremists only say that because they are afraid of the power that comes with a snake, Hermione," he answered as he ate a piece of bacon.

"What power?"

"Well, since I am a Parselmouth, I can cast spells and enchantments in Parseltongue which makes it impossible for my opponent to know what I am casting in a duel. They would not be able to counter it in time," he said smiling.

Draco interjected. "Plus most snakes worth controlling are venomous and the Parselmouth controlling them can command them to bite."

"Right you are, Draco," said Callum.

They continued with their breakfast and received their schedules. Their first class was Charms, free period, and then Transfiguration.

It was to be the start of an interesting year.

* * *

><p>Almost two months had passed by and Callum was excited for his first Halloween at Hogwarts. Hermione, Callum, and Draco hadn't progressed past friendship so far, but they were still only first years, the future was still ahead of them. Isaac and Callum had grown apart as the trio's friendship increased.<p>

Isaac had become friends with some of the boys in his House, Terry Boot and Lambden Moon, a Muggle-born and a Blood-traitor. Draco and Hermione were very adamant that Callum ditch Isaac because of the company he kept, but Callum still held onto the end of the proverbial string.

Hermione and Draco were steeped deep into Pureblood supremacy, despite the fact that American Purebloods were notorious for '_equality_ _in blood statuses'_. Callum was half-steeped himself. His mother was all for it but his father was welcoming to all blood statuses. His siblings all had their views, but Callum was unsure of himself, influenced more by the thoughts of others around him than his own.

Callum's first class today was Potions with the Gryffindors. How he hated the Gryffindors, thinking they were everyone's betters. Kayden and his little gang of hooligans, Ronald, Dean, and Seamus, pulling pranks on everyone they thought was weaker than themselves. He despised the foursome as he was a victim of one of their cruder pranks.

He had been coming out of the boy's loo when all of a sudden his trousers fell down and Balthazar was lifted off of his neck and thrown down the hall. Balthazar had sworn that he would bite them all one day after that and Callum had his work cut out for him calming the snake down.

Draco had hexed the idiots and they had gone off to their next class. Callum had reported the incident to their Head of House but so far nothing had come of it. He swore revenge on his cousin. Maybe he should just tell his father what Kayden had done so he could punish him...

* * *

><p>Headmaster Dumbledore and Deputy Headmistress McGonagall sat on a couch in Headmaster Dumbledore's private quarters, both as drunk as they could be without being unconscious. They only had one boy on their mind, though both for different reasons.<p>

Harry Potter.

Professor McGonagall just missed him terribly, you see. She had not held or seen Harry since the day before the attack on his home and she wanted to make sure he was fine and if he wasn't, well he could come live with her and attend Hogwarts.

Headmaster Dumbledore wondered if the boy was hidden somewhere in the school, disguised as a Muggle-born student. Maybe the Dean Thomas boy, but he hadn't gone after the troll.

Yes, he knew that the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was possessed by the Dark Lord, but he knew it was for the Greater Good. Professor Quirrell would draw out the boy and then Dumbledore could have him in his clutches once again. After all, the boy was born to be the savior of the Light, no way that the boy would be Grey or even, should he say it, Dark.

Harry Potter would be the Savior for the Light and he would like it, whether he was under the Imperious or not or he could make his own Savior.

Albus, who was not gay as most believed, groped his Deputy Headmistress and pulled her on top of him, kissing her hard and still out-of-his-mind drunk. They had an on-again off-again fling and Albus needed an heir and Minerva was still barely of bearing age for a witch.

If Harry Potter was not going to show up, he would just breed the next savior of the Light. What could be better than his own progeny?

Minerva responded quickly, she wanted him as much as he wanted her, but she would never willingly conceive a child with Albus. He wandlessly and silently casted a charm to prevent her birth control potion from working. His manipulations were for the Greater Good; Minerva would thank him later, even if it wasn't any time in the future.

A half an hour later and they both collapsed onto the squeaky couch. Minerva was completely out of it and Albus cast a Pregnancy Revealing charm and he was pleased with the results.

Soon, Harry Potter would no longer be needed and could be killed by his hand. Soon, he could raise his heir to take Potter's place.

Soon...

* * *

><p>Draco Malfoy was confused.<p>

He definitely liked girls but he really seemed to like both Callum and Hermione.

You could only have one at once, right?

He had heard of the legend of the three soul-bonded, but he had never heard of regular Purebloods having a threesome relationship. It just wasn't done, at least not regularly in Pureblood society. But it could be done which was all that mattered.

He would ask his father as soon as he returned home for Yule break, which was coming soon. But for now, he would go on being confused. He was almost sure that they felt the same way though.

* * *

><p>Callum, Hermione, and Draco all secretly dreaded the day they would return home on Yule break and be separated from each other. Callum would go back to his family deep in the Grey Forest, Draco would return to Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire, and Hermione would return to the modest townhouse her parents owned in London before proceeding to a skiing trip in Sweden. But finally, the day had come when students would board the Hogwarts Express to return to their homes and families for the holidays.<p>

Draco was anxious to speak to his father about the legend of the three soul-bonded and Pureblood triads.

Hermione was nervous that her parents might decide that they did not like Hogwarts and take her back to America.

Callum was excited to see his parents and Joy, not so much the rest of his siblings, and to avoid Kayden at all costs when they returned.

But all of them were dreading the separation. Balthazar had many comments to make about this issue when he and Callum had their nightly chats about. Mostly the talks these days were his confusing feelings for Hermione and Draco.

Callum shook the thoughts from his head as he restarted folding his sweaters and placing them in his father's old trunk. He and Draco were both rushing to pack just hours before the Hogwarts Express' departure but Hermione had apparently packed a week ago. She seemed like she was always prepared for what was up and coming. Draco was currently shoving a load of textbooks into his initialed trunk. Callum finished with all of his clothes and moved to the next compartment of the trunk where he placed all of Balthazar's things, then the next compartment where everything else went.

A bell rang throughout the dungeons signaling that it was almost time to board the Express. Draco and Callum both rushed on a sweater and robe, gathered their trunks, and ran to the Common Room to meet with Hermione. The three first years chatted mindlessly as they walked to the Great Hall and down to the carriages that would take them to Hogsmeade.

"I am really going to miss you guys. I will send you your gifts by Athena," said Draco, referring to his eagle owl, while loading his trunk.

"I'll miss you too, Draco. This has been a perfect year so far," said Hermione as she hoisted her trunk into the back of the carriage.

"Don't worry; we will be back at Hogwarts before we even realize we were gone. We won't even have time to miss each other," said Callum.

They all climbed into the carriage with the help of a third year Ravenclaw and settled with Draco across from Callum and Hermione.

Hermione set her head on his shoulder. Draco looked at the two with a longing in his gut. It became more urgent to him that he speak to his father. He turned away from the innocent display of affection and stared at the snow falling in thick snowflakes.

Callum was surprised that Hermione had laid her head on him, so much that he didn't notice Draco's covetous look toward them. For the rest of the ride to Hogsmeade, he was hyper aware of Hermione and her position next to him.

When they finally got to Hogsmeade Station, they relocated to a Slytherin-themed train compartment and Hermione sat next to Draco this time. She sat next to the window as the train started its momentum.

An hour later, Hermione had Draco's head in her lap and Callum had lain down in his seat, both fast asleep.

* * *

><p>Callum got off the train and immediately saw his mother and sister. He dragged the trunk to his sister and threw himself into her arms. He felt his mother wrap herself around the both of her youngest children.<p>

Joy was sobbing while she tried to talk. "Hey, Cal. I missed you so much! You are coming home for every holiday because I need you home to help me make questionable decisions," said she as she held tight to him.

"Okay, okay. Joy! Let me go so I can say hi to Mum," said Callum as he tried to wriggle out of her grip and finally Joy set him down.

He stepped into Leanne's arms and squeezed his mum tight.

"Can we go home now?" Callum asked. "I would like to see Dad."

"Of course," said his mum as she picked up his trunk.

_Hatchling, did you have to jostle me so? _Balthazar questioned.

_I'm sorry, Balthazar. I missed my family. A lot, _Callum said, really not all that apologetic.

* * *

><p>Draco stepped off the Express and did exactly what Callum had done; ran to his parents. He embraced his mother first, saving the hug with his father for when they got to the Manor. His mother cried over his return while his father stood proudly observing his wife and heir. They walked out of the station and found an alley to apparate from.<p>

They landed in the drawing room and Draco called Dobby to take his trunk to his quarters. His mother walked off to her sewing room, probably to finish crocheting a Christmas sweater or pair of mittens. Draco turned to his father and gave him a quick hug before sitting in the chair across his father's desk.

"Father, did you and mother ever have me tested for a soul-bond?"

"No, we thought because they were so rare that it would not occur," he said as he carefully sat in his well-used chair behind his desk. "Why? Do you wish to be tested for one?"

"Can we do that? It would be great, father."

"I will talk to your mother and we may be able to do the ritual tonight, most likely tomorrow though. You may go to your room now," said Lucius, shooing his son from the room and calling his wife to him by house elf.

"Love, Draco wants to have a soul-bond test done. Do you know of what is running around in his little head?" he asked his wife who sat in the chair across the desk.

Narcissa looked shocked which led him to believe that she did not know.

"No, I didn't, Lucius."

* * *

><p>Hermione was less anxious to see her parents, but excited nonetheless. Her parents might not even notice she was home to be honest; they paid more attention to her younger brother, their heir. She was meant to be a boy, but here she was, a girl.<p>

She saw them waiting with a cart between them, her brother, Micas, sitting on where her trunk would be soon. He jumped up and helped her with getting it on the cart before giving her a hug. She hugged her parents politely and they left the station.

They apparated to the townhouse they used when they were in London and Micas helped her get settled in her room.

"I'm glad you're back, Hermione. I missed you but be careful, they want to enroll you at Salem next year so show them how awesome Hogwarts is so I can go there," said the nine year old.

"No worries, Micas. I will convince them. Don't fret over it," she said, looking a bit glum as she sat on the purple comforter. Micas walked out the door and she was left to her own devices until supper which was at nine that night.

She would show them how great her education at Hogwarts was; she needed to stay there, for her sake and the boys'.

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><p>Callum walked in the front door of his home and immediately looked for his father. He was in his study doing paperwork. Callum put his trunk in his room before he ran to give his father a generous hug.<p>

"I missed you so much, Dad. I got sorted into Slytherin and I made two new friends. Their names are Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger. Hermione is _American, _can you believe it? They are both Purebloods as well. I can't wait till Christmas!" Callum rambled as his father chuckled and held him tight as he walked to the kitchen where Leanne was already making dinner. Joy sat on a barstool and talked about her new girlfriend ('Kat?') and about her friend Paz who seemed to have taken Callum's place in the months he had been gone.

Fenrir set his son down on the barstool next to his youngest daughter and kissed his wife on the cheek before turning to a saucepan full of stir-fry and sautéing. Callum watched as his parents moved in harmony around the kitchen, making a delicious evening meal for the four of them to share. They sat down with plates in front of them at their dining room table and talked of Callum's first term at Hogwarts.

"Did you know Kayden is a Gryffindor? He's been playing really mean pranks on all of the Slytherins, I think you should talk to him, Dad," said Callum as soon as the boy came up in the conversation.

"I will talk to him and Aeterna on Christmas, now hush up and eat your dinner, you silly boy," teased his dad as Callum shut up and ate his piece of broccoli.

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><p><em><strong>AN: I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, it has been hard work trying to edit in my current state. Tell me what you think but please, refrain from flaming, it's really just annoying and you will accomplish nothing typing out a message of hate. Thanks!**_

_**J. Waylett**_


	4. Chapter 4 - Heirs and Accidents

**_A/N: I am sorry, but this will be shorter than the previous chapters. I have a lot on my plate at the moment. Good news is that I got to go to the opera yesterday! I seriously love operas, this one definitely makes the top of the list, too. I would recommend seeing it, Don Giovanni by Mozart._**

**_I will most likely be posting another chapter before Tuesday, so look for that. I'm also sorry for the major cliffhanger that is this entire chapter..._**

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><p><em>Chapter Four<em>

Minerva McGonagall was a formidable witch. She had never before cowered in the face of danger and she had laughed in the face of death. But today, she was neither formidable nor brave; today, she was scared to death. It had been two months since her last menses and she had brushed it off last month, thinking menopause had finally started to set in and then when she had missed it again, she hadn't been worried.

Then she had started vomiting and certain foods had started to make her nauseous. She became worried after a few weeks and had rushed out of her quarters two nights before Christmas Eve to consult Poppy. She had run into the nurse's office and collapsed onto one of the chairs, Poppy looked up and raised an eyebrow. She got out of her chair and leaned against her desk.

"How many have you missed?" she asked with a sigh.

"Wait, how did you know I was coming to ask you about something to do with missed menses?" Minerva asked suspiciously.

"Minerva, you should know by now, I know everything that goes on in the castle," she said, and then she added a moment later, "Plus, the house-elves were talking about a 'Professor Tartan' who was 'making a sick in the chamber pot'. It obviously had to be you. No other professor could be nicknamed by house-elves as 'Professor Tartan'."

"They nicknamed me 'Professor Tartan'?" she asked incredulously before realizing that their conversation had veered way off the course she had wanted it to take. She gathered herself and then asked seriously, "Poppy, will you perform a Pregnancy Revealing Charm on me? I'm worried that I am with child."

"Well, step out of my office and behind a curtain, I will be there in a moment."

The Deputy Headmistress did as she was told and even got onto the examination table for good measure. The woman contemplated deeply on how this could have happened. She did not remember having relations of any sort in the past few months. In fact, not even since the end of the last school year had she had any relations of the sexual sort and the only person she had shagged in the past four years had been Albus Dumbledore. She must have gotten really drunk to not even remember something as important as sex.

Poppy stepped inside the curtain and pulled her wand out of a holster at her waist. "You ready for the fact that your entire life may change?"

Minerva nodded and Poppy started the wand movement that would change her entire life.

"_Repertum Gravida!_" Madam Pomfrey said with a swish and jab in the general vicinity of McGonagall's womb. A small cloud of smoke appeared over her abdomen and slowly turned into a bright green. Minerva snapped her head toward Poppy, looking for an answer in the wrinkles of the other woman's face. Poppy's face hadn't changed, she was practically a blank slate, but her body-language said 'oh, shit, Minerva's not going to be pleased'. The nurse canceled the charm and placed the wand back in the holster.

"Congratulations, Minerva. You're pregnant."

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><p>Callum woke up the next morning feeling more than a bit groggy and fatigued. He opened his eyes and for a moment panicked at not seeing the stone ceiling of the Slytherin dormitories, then realized he was at home, looking at one of wooden beams in his attic bedroom. He let out a large breath of air he hadn't realized he had been holding and threw his feet over the edge of his bed. He slowly put on a t-shirt and a pair of jeans before descending through the trapdoor for family breakfast.<p>

It was the day before Christmas Eve and Callum was getting antsy. All of his siblings, their spouses, and their children were staying in the elder Greyback's home and it was more than a little crowded. Not to mention that Kayden was in a room right underneath his attic and deliberately would bug him with the most random of things. Yesterday, Callum had climbed down his ladder to the third floor and stepped directly into a puddle of failed Burn-Relieving Solution, courtesy of Kayden Pense. Callum was about done with him and was reporting the behavior to his father the next time it happened.

The boys had played out their rivalry in a family Quidditch match the day before and both had come out bruised and bleeding. There had been no chance of either one coming out unscathed. Callum's dad had finally called the game when Kayden pushed Callum off of his broom as he was catching the Quaffle. Kayden had said he was just trying to intercept it, but Kayden wasn't even a chaser, he was a beater.

Unlike the day before, there was no trap or prank or failed potion below his ladder and so he made his way carefully to the staircase, slowly and suspiciously stepping as to not trigger a motion-activated prank.

He made it all the way to the uppermost step of the stairs before he felt the final booby-trap activate. As soon as he stepped onto the landing of the top step, a tripwire spun into existence by magic. Callum could feel the blood rush faster in his ears and he could hear every heart beat loudly, as he started to fall.

He immediately knew that if he came out of this prank alive, he would be lucky.

His head bashed into the marble stairs and wooden railings countless times before he couldn't feel anymore. His body continued to fall directly down the second set of stairs into the foyer and hard onto the marble flooring, he landed awkwardly on his back and felt his head smash backwards. He was conscious for a moment and saw his mother running into the foyer and suddenly everything went black.

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><p>Albus Dumbledore was the epitome of confused. A few months ago, when he had gone to visit the Dursleys, he encountered an empty house. Then when he had researched in muggle newspapers around the year he had dropped off Harry, he discovered that in 4 Privet Drive, a horrible wolf attack had occurred, slaying Petunia. Vernon and Dudley had disappeared that night, the wolf's blood trail led to a forest in Surrey. A few years later, in a wizarding newspaper, he found an account of a murdercrime committed by some well-known felonsonawerewolf. The werewolf's name? Vernon Dursley.<p>

But that left two questions: Where was their son? and Where was Harry Potter?

A house-elf popped into the room and Dumbledore lifted his head from staring at the glass of Firewhiskey that sat on his desk.

"Master Dumbledore, sir. Professor Tartan has run to the infirmary. Professor Tartan was not happy looking when she came out, Professor Tartan was crying. You have wanted information on the Professor Tartan, sir?"

"Yes, thank you, Tippy. You may go now." Dumbledore said, then continued, "While you are at it in the kitchen, please get me some more lemon drops, I have seem to run out. Make sure the ones that go into my desk bowl are laced with the Veritaserum, the ones in my desk shouldn't be laced."

"Yes, Master Dumbles. Tippy will do that."And with that the house-elf popped away.

Great, now all he had to do was make sure Minerva came to his office when Tippy restocked his lemon drops. He would get the truth out of that woman. He needed a savior of the Light; Harry Potter was lost to the world, probably being trained to be Dark by the Dark Lord Voldemort's followers.

He would be able to assure the Light soon. Minerva would bear him a son, they would get married, and his heir would continue his legacy—born to fight a Dark Lord just like he had done as a young man. His son would follow in his footsteps, no need for Harry Potter. And when Albus found the failure of a savior, he would get rid of him, just like that.

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><p><em><strong>AN: Sorry for the cliffhanger! Now tell me what you think... **_

_**J. Waylett**_


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